Chapter CLIX. A vision, tending to the commendation of the Rule

209. The most holy father once saw a vision, consisting in a heavenly miracle, which related to the Rule.

At the time when the brethren were conferring together touching the confirmation of the Rule, S. Francis, who was very anxious about this matter, saw the following vision: It seemed to him that he had gathered from the ground tiny crumbs of bread, which he had to distribute to many famished brethren standing round him. And as he dreaded to distribute such minute crumbs, fearing lest such fine dust should fall out of his hands, there came a voice from on high, which cried: "Francis, make one host out of all the crumbs, and give it to eat to all who will". And when he did so, those who received not the gift devoutly, or despised it when they had received it, presently appeared branded with the taint of leprosy. In the morning he related all these things to his companions, grieving that he could not understand the mystery of the vision. But soon afterwards, as he was watching in prayer, this voice came to him from heaven: "Francis, the crumbs of the past night are the words of the Gospel, the host is the Rule, the leprosy is wickedness".

The brethren of those times who were in everything eager to perform more than was enjoined deemed not this faith which they had sworn to obey to be hard or harsh. For listlessness and idleness find no place where the goad of love is ever urging on to greater achievements.